


In bocca al Lupo

by BornofFlame



Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders is Extra, Exchange Student AU, Gen, Italian!Virgil, Italiano | Italian, Italy, One Shot, Rome - Freeform, Virgil is bilingual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:48:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25890853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BornofFlame/pseuds/BornofFlame
Summary: Roman gets lost during his senior year spring break trip to Italy.   When a snarky Italian helps him back to his group, Roman knows that he'll never see him again, but one can always hope.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878814
Comments: 7
Kudos: 96





	In bocca al Lupo

**Author's Note:**

> translations at the end. enjoy!

Roman loved Italy.

Okay, yes, it might have had something to do with his name, but when the high school had advertised that the seniors could go and visit Italy for the spring break trip, he’d leapt at the chance.

So now he was in Rome, and horribly lost. He wasn’t too concerned, it had been his idea to sneak out with a few of the other kids and now they had gotten separated and he was wandering down a side street.

Roman looked up, there were countless laundry wires running across the street and the countless scores of other people’s laundry hanging to air dry.

It was late out, but there was a boy that looked to be about his age up on one of the balconies, pulling at the dark garments on one of the wires, loading them into a basket at his feet. Roman walked so that he was directly under the kid and he tilted his head up.

“Ciao! Can I get some help?”

The kid looked down and glared for a moment before yelling back.

“Puttana, capisci l'italiano?”

Roman shrugged at the kid’s words, a wide smile still pasted on his face as the kid rolled his eyes and switched to a surprisingly well spoken English.

“Bitch, do you understand Italian?”

“Nope! I know like three words! Can I get some help?”

The kid sighed and shook his head. “I don’t help stupid Americans.”

“How’d you know that I’m American?”

“Parli solo una lingua.” The kid shrugged as if it was obvious.

“I don’t know what that means, so I take it you complimented me! I’m Roman, and you are?”  
The kid closed his eyes and Roman watched as he pulled off an item from the laundry wire and threw it into the basket. “Non è importante.”

“Please, can you at least give me directions back to my hotel? I’ll pay you, I have like seven Euro on me!”

The kid looked down, pursed his lips and then finally nodded. “Fine.”

“Thanks!”

The kid picked up the laundry and disappeared, leaving Roman to stand alone outside while he waited for him to come downstairs and help him. It took almost ten minutes, but finally a door opened down the street a bit and the kid walked out, shrugging on a hoodie as he walked up to Roman.

“Ciao stupido.”

“Okay, I know enough Italian to recognize that that was mean.” Roman crossed his arms and frowned. 

“Sorry, but you are stupid enough to get lost.”

“The streets are confusing!”

“It’s because Roma isn’t set up like a New York. Our cities are like webs. Where’s your hotel?”

“Uhhh, the Plaza?”

“More clear dipshit.”

“What?”

“I need more clear.”

“Specific?”

“Yeah, that word.”

Roman bit back a snarky comment about how the kid didn’t remember the word specific, because he was able to speak two languages and Roman had to admit, that now they were face to face, that the kid was more of a teenager, closer to his age, and with the most  _ gorgeous _ eyes that he had ever seen. 

“Near Trevi Fountain, but I’m not sure how close.”

The other teen sighed, muttered something in Italian and then grabbed Roman’s hand, which made Roman feel slightly embarrassed.

“Andiamo idiota.”

“No need to call me an idiot.” Roman said nonchalantly as he let the teen lead him down side streets and back ways until they were standing in front of the Trevi Fountain. 

“Can you get back from here?”

“I think so! Thank you!” Roman pulled his hand out of the teen’s and gave him a bow. “I will never forget your kindness, Sir---”

“Virgilius.”

“An Italian name!”

“I live in Italia himbo.” Virgilius stuck out his tongue and turned to leave when Roman grabbed his elbow.

“Perhaps I’ll see you again?”

“In bocca al lupo Roman. I doubt I’ll see you.” Virgilius snorted and pulled away, walking off in a different direction than the one that he had led Roman in, leaving him to watch and quietly hope that they’d see each other again.

…

The rest of the trip went by without a hitch. Roman got to see a hundred other things that he ended up losing count of, and despite his best wishes to see Virgilius again, it didn’t happen.

Now he was back at school, getting ready to gear up for the last quarter of school when his English teacher announced that they were getting foreign exchange students for the last quarter and that they’d be arriving next week.

Roman tuned her out and when he got home, he was met with an even bigger surprise.

They were getting one of the exchange students.

How horrible.

Roman had shut himself in his room for almost three hours when he found out, too disappointed when he found out that not only would they have the student well into the summer, he’d have to share a room with him. His parents had promised that the kid would be fine, apparently he was Roman’s age and that they were picking him up tomorrow at the school around nine thirty pm.

Nine thirty pm the next day came too fast. Roman was sitting in the stands, next to his parents and surrounded by the other host families, watching the group of exchange students that were down on the gym floor with suitcases and shy glances to the families that were watching them.

After what felt like forever, their family was called.

“Prince family for De Rossi?”

Roman bounced up and walked down the stairs to the gym floor, parents tailing him to talk to the advisor as De Rossi dragged a duffle bag upto Roman and threw it down in front of him, creating a very obvious barrier. 

The teen still had his hood on and Roman stuck out a hand in greeting.

“Roman Prince.”

“Virgilius De Rossi. You can call me Virgil.”

Roman sputtered as Virgil laughed at him, pulling back his hood so that Roman could finally see his face. 

“Scusa, dovevo, sembravi un tale idiota!” Virgil managed to wheeze out as Roman’s parents walked up to the pair. Roman gestured to Virgil.

“Mom, Dad, remember when I told you how I got lost in Rome and that one kid helped me? This is him.”

Roman’s Dad let out a boisterous laugh and he wrapped an arm around Virgil. “So you’re the hot Italian? Roman hasn’t been able to shut up about you since he got back.”

Virgil blushed, Roman let out a strangled squeak and Roman’s mom simply sighed before suggesting that they go back to the house so that Virgil could get set up. The ride home was quiet, besides Roman’s parents asking Virgil a few questions: preferred pronouns, if he’d like them to get him a date for any of the dances, allergies, and Roman was grateful when the conversation didn’t lead back to the fact that Roman had definitely been simping over Virgil.

They got home, took a tour and then left Virgil in Roman’s room, explaining that it was better than sharing a room with Remus.

Once the parents were out of the room, Virgil turned towards Roman with a sly smile.

“Hot Italian?”

“I couldn’t very well say that you mostly called me stupid.” Roman fired back, blushing as Virgil nodded sarcastically.

“Of course Principessa.” Virgil unzipped his duffle bag and began to pull out wrapped packages and clothes, setting them on the bed that he’d been assigned.

“To be fair, I also told my mama that you were  _ gran figo  _ and she teased me for falling for a tourist.”

Roman’s heart practically stopped. Virgil had admitted to liking  _ him _ ? 

“You like me?”

“You wish.” Virgil said smoothly and Roman sighed.

“Is there a chance I could ask you out?”

“In bocca al lupo.”

“What does that mean?”

Virgil shook his head and sat down on the floor. “It means ‘in the mouth of a wolf.’ It’s a slang way of saying good luck.”

“Weird.”

“You Americans wish to break each other’s legs. How is that any less normal?” Virgil pointed out and Roman paused, realizing that Virgil was right, endearingly so.

“I can’t argue with you, you’re too hot.” Roman complained and Virgil’s grin widened.

“Good.”

They smiled at each other and Roman felt excited that Virgil was his new roommate, at least they had had an experience together and could go from there.

This might actually work.

**Author's Note:**

> Puttana, capisci l'italiano: bitch, do you understand italian?
> 
> Parli solo una lingua.: you only speak one language
> 
> Non è importante: it's not important
> 
> Andiamo idiota: let's go idiot
> 
> Scusa, dovevo, sembravi un tale idiota: Sorry, I had to, you looked like such an idiot!
> 
> Principessa: princess
> 
> gran figo: hot, hottie, sexy
> 
> I speak italian and I wanted a snarky, italian Virgil. Sue me.  
> kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!


End file.
